Binder



1.. J. THOELE April 24, 1945.

BINDER Original Filed April 11, 1941 2206/2257; ceJI77zoZe Lag/y.

Patented Apr. 24, 1945 UNITED PATENT OFFICE I BINDER. Lawrence J. Thoele, Chicago, 111., assignor to Plastic Binding Corporation, Chicago, 11 1., a

corporation of Delaware Original application April 11, 1941, Serial No.

388,138. Divided and this application April 19, 1944, Serial No. 532,011

.4 Claims.

This application is a division of my application Serial No. 388,138, filed April 11, 1941.

This invention relates to binders in general and, more particularly, to mechanical binders of the type adapted to be inserted throughaligned in a stack of sheets to be bound together. perforations in a stack of pages for bindingthem .While the structure ofthe present invention together. is particularly applicable to binders, it is not The binder of the present invention is of the limited to binders. Individual rings or groups of type which comprises a back from which extend rings may be p v d 2, a t as nd a plurality of fingers that are curled into loops, l0 curing any other parts together. For instance, the free ends of the fingers overlapping the back. individual rings may be used as key rings, napkin When binders of this type are made for large or rings, or the like. Also, individual rings'or groups heavy books or stacks of pages they must, of of rings maybe used ass upports for hanging course, be made comparatively stiff. When so curtains or the like. 1 made it frequently happens that a tooth or se- The attainment oi the above and further obries of teeth are forced along the back .beyond jects of thepresent invention will be app e their normal position and to a distance such as from the followin specification taken in conto exceed the elastic limit of the material. This junction with the accompanying drawing form- Permanently eforms the individual fingers or ing apart thereof. loops that have been thus forced beyond their In the drawing: normal position, and destroys the aesthetic ap- Figure 1 is a plan view of a blank from which pearance of the binder and may also interfere a binder of the present invention is to be made; with the turning of the bound pages. It is one of Figure 2 is a sectional V take 3, 1% the the objects of the present invention to provide a line 22 of Figure 1 and looki g in th dir ti binder which will overcome this difiiculty by pre of the arrows and venting inward movement of the teeth or fingers Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view throu h in the loop beyond their normal position. a binder inserted through a stack of pages.

It is a further object oi the present invention The. blank from which the binder is made conto provide a binder of the above mentioned charsists of a comparatively thin sheet of spring steel acter with means for preventing the accidental cut or stamped to the shape illustrated in Fig withdrawal of the ends of the fingers from the ure 1 to provide a back 2 hav ng-a p u y 0f loop, that is, for preventing the accidental openuniformly spaced fingers 1 the width or the space ing of the loop, While at the same time permitbetween fingers being the same as the width of ting the loop to be opened when it is desired to the fingers. The fingers 3 are smooth, and the do so. In accordance with this embodiment of corners are rounded at their ends and the mathe invention the rings or fingers are provided terial is also rounded at the corners where the with projections adjacent their end, which profingers extend from the back 2. In line with jections enter into slots in the back. By this each finger 3 the back 2 has a tab'B stamped arrangement a direct outward pull on the fingers outwardly therefrom a short distance. The disis ineffective to withdrawn the fingers from the 40 tance that the tab extends is made only slightly loop. The fingers may, however, be Withdrawn in excess of the thickness of the material. The from the loop by first pressing them away from tab 8 forms a V-shaped space 10 between the the back to Withdraw the finger tab from the tab and the adjacent part of the back 2. When slot in the back and then uncurling the finger the individual fingers are curled the ends ll of or fingers. It is a still further object of the presthe fingers remote from the back 2 enter into ent invention to provide such a binder wherein the V space H], as illustrated in Figure 3, thus the tab on the finger which limits accidental refirmly holding the ends of the fingers against traction of the finger cooperates with the very collapse inwardly of' the loop. At the outer end slot that is formed by the tab in the back for of each finger there is formed a tab 40 which limiting the inward movement of the finger in extends from the plane of the blank in the directhe loop. 1 tion opposite to the direction of the tab 8.

It is a still further object of the present in- The blank may be curled to a tubular shape, as vention to provide a binder of the above menillustrated in Figure 3, after the ends of the fintioned character wherein the fingers are held gers 3 are inserted through ali perforations against inward movement in the loop and yet are in a stack of pages or sheets Hi. If desired, W-

smooth along all of their. edges and surfaces and free of outer projections from any of the surfaces, thus facilitating insertion of the smooth fingers into or removal from aligned perforations permitted to recurl under its natural resiliency or may be forced back beyond its previous position until the end ll of the binder extends into the V-shaped slot 10, and the tab 40 extends v v into the slot 4| formed where the tab 8 was struck. This thus limits subsequent withdrawal of the curled fingers 3 from the back 2. At the same time the tab 8 holds the finger 3 against inward movement on the inner periphery of the back.

outer periphery of the loop.

3. A tubular member comprising a strip of spring material having a back from which extend a plurality of fingers, each finger being curled to form with the back a loop of more than 360, that In the preferred construction the tab 40 extends from the surface of the finger 3 of the blank an amount not exceeding the thickness of the metal of the blank. When the blank is curled, as illustrated in Figure 3, the tab 40 does not, there- .fore, project beyond the outer curved surface of the back 2 and cannotscratch or otherwise mar a surface upon which the binder is placed.

It is within the purview of the present invention to form individual fingers, of the construction illustrated in Figure 2, into rings as illustrated in Figure 3, if desired.

In compliance with the requirements of the rality of fingers extending therefrom and curled to form with the back closed loops of more than 360 with the fingers on the inside of the loops, projecting tabs extending inwardly from 1. A binder comprising a back having a pluthe back in alignment with the fingers, the free end of each finger abutting against the tab.

aligned therewith for limiting the extent of overlap of the finger and the back and each finger having adjacent the free end thereof an outwardly projecting-tab entering into and locking within the notch formedin the back by the opposite inwardly projecting tab.

2. A binder comprising a back having a pluend of each finger which is remote from the edge of the back from which the finger extends being curved along the same curvature as the rest of the loop to the very end of the finger, the back having inward projections forming abutments for the fingers and limitin the extent of overlap of the fingers and the back, the end of each finger extending between the back and the projection and being embraced by the back and the projection, and each finger having adjacent its free end a projection extending outwardly therefrom an amount which is not in excess of the thickness of the member and which extends into an opening in the back to hold the respective fingers against retraction.

4. A ring comprising a strip of spring material formed into a closed loop of more than 360, at each end of the strip there being formed a tab bent from the surface of the strip to leave an opening in the strip where the'tab is formed, the tabs at the opposite ends of the strip projecting one inwardly and one outwardly of the loop, the inwardly projectin tab constituting an abutment for the opposite end of the looped strip, which opposite end extends on the inside of the loop, and the outwardly projecting tab extending into the opening formed by the inwardly projecting tab, said'outwardly projecting tab extending from the surface from which it was struck an amount not exceeding the thickness of the strip of spring material, whereby said outwardly projecting tab terminates within the outer periphery of the ring loop leaving said loop free of outward projections.

LAWRENCE J. THOELE. 

